VIR - Impressions/Pics/Logs/Video (Track Daze)

[swift996]

I ran with the advanced group and had a ton of fun. A well managed event and a great turnout. There were a ton of fast cars in my group including the #50 Daytona Prototype (Rolex Sports Car Series), a GTS (Perlli WC) Lotus Exige, a few stock cars, and two GT3 cup cars. I counted 5 twins in total at the event.

The facility is top notch and it was a great two days.

Unfortunately I was plagued with brake problems. I lost pressure in my brakes during my first session (about 15 minutes in). I found that the brake fluid filler cap was off (I must have not tightened it all the way). So I put it back on and went back out. Session 2 - I lose pressure again. So I brought the car in and bled the brakes, I figured I got some air caught in from the cap coming off. The 3rd session I lose pressure again. My pads looked alright but I had a new set of street pads. So I swapped them and bled the system again. My final session the car was working good for about 12-15 minutes and issues again.

I brought the car in and started to inspect the brake booster line. I found that the fitting on the back of my innovate supercharger could move left and right. I called innovate's tech support and the gentlemen told me that wasn't normal. So I took some locktite and put it all around the fitting and then turned it as far as it would go. I let the car sit over night. I stayed at the lodge there on the track which was super convenient.

Day 2 - The brakes felt good with a quick street test. Unfortunately with the street pads on I burned through them about 13 minutes into my first session. I was coming down the front straight and the brakes just stopped working. I went out for a couple more sessions but basically cruised on the straights and used my brakes very early. It turned out to not be a lot of fun. My rotors got eaten up a little so I think I'm going to get a new pair and get some custom Carbotech XP-10s made to fit my Wilwood caliper. I also plan to take the rear of the supercharger off and see what's going on with that fitting. Some scary stuff but things worked out and everyone was safe.

[swift996]

A lot of fast cars in the group:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlX0e2s6kwc&feature=em-upload_owner"]Track Daze (VIR Day 2 1st session (Innovate Supercharged BRZ) - YouTube[/ame]

[swift996]

Reserved for logs:
Perrin Oil Cooler is working great. Peak Oil Temp was 217 and peak water temp was 196. I'll put them in some graphs.

[swift996]

My rig:




Sunset:


In the paddock:












































Some wreckage on day one:




On track:

[celica73]

Vir is my "home" track - I love it there. Sucks that the brakes were wonky. I'll be there in 2 weeks, looking forward to it!

[SpeedLab]

I managed a 2:32.2 the last session after you left. Compared to Skeen's time of 2:25, we've got a long way to go. But at least i know how to get the time back, not bad for a cautious break-in track day for the car

I'll post some videos soon Working on a "getting passed by a DP" compilation haha.

Scott

[ZionsWrath]

talk about prepared, spare engine O_o

[MightyMeeple]

swift, thanks for posting the info and the pics! Sorry to hear about your brakes/issues, glad you stayed safe and still managed to have fun. I am looking to signup for the Track Daze event at VIR in Nov, which would be my very first HPDE. Your pics have me even more excited now!

[ATL BRZ]

Shame the Innovate booster fitting plagued your brakes. Maybe plastic was a poor materials choice for the fitting? The car looked quick but I noticed you had to short shift into high gear on the straights and lift. I see at the 11:55 mark in your video is when you lost the brakes and went off track. Scary shit man. Innovate need to fix the issue before they have a lawsuit on their hands.

Also you may benefit from actively cooled front rotors. The Touge Factory brake cooling kit may fit the Wilwoods since the rotors aren't much bigger diameter than stock (.5"), but they are actually thinner than the stock rotors aren't they (.81")? So they may actually be struggling more for thermal capacity on track. Blowing air directly at the center of the rotors and through the vanes will surely help.

[swift996]

Originally Posted by ATL BRZ

Shame the Innovate booster fitting plagued your brakes. Maybe plastic was a poor materials choice for the fitting? The car looked quick but I noticed you had to short shift into high gear on the straights and lift. I see at the 11:55 mark in your video is when you lost the brakes and went off track. Scary shit man. Innovate need to fix the issue before they have a lawsuit on their hands.

Also you may benefit from actively cooled front rotors. The Touge Fatory brake cooling kit may fit the Wilwoods since the rotors aren't much bigger diameter than stock (.5"), but they are actually thinner than the stock rotors aren't they (.81")? So they may actually be struggling more for thermal capacity on track. Blowing air directly at the center of the rotors and through the vanes will surely help.

Yeah I think I'm going to upgrade to a cooling kit. Also will be doing new rotors and pads. I was taking it a little easy on the straights either letting faster traffic by or still psychologically scared from the day before where I lost pressure so I was probably down about 10-15mph on the straights compared to where I was before. Most of the rest of traffic was on r-compounds and race pads so I didn't' want a Chevy emblem engraved in my rear bumper

Seeing the speed of the DP car was awesome. I noticed I was pretty close to a guy with a stock STI as far as straight line speed. Everything else in my class (with the exception of one Miata, a RSX, and a couple old BMWs) was faaaaaast!

[SpeedLab]

FR-S vs Daytona Prototype.. lol.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkbG4aDBzco"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkbG4aDBzco[/ame]

[ZionsWrath]

Originally Posted by SpeedLab

FR-S vs Daytona Prototype.. lol.

What daytona prototype?

^_^

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

talk about prepared, spare engine O_o

Had to be a SpecE30 driver with that M20B25 in his truck bed and lots of Toyos.

[swift996]

I'll have to go back and look but I remember running in the 2:23 - 2:26 range with the street pads. My guess is somewhere in the 2:18-2:20 range with my race pads.